One of my favorite things to do is cuddle up under a warm cozy blanket, with a cup of tea and a good book. Many times the duration lasts a mere 10 to 15 minutes. Just enough time to get warm and read a few pages. Those are joyful moments that as a busy Mom I take for myself.

When possible, I really like to set the mood with a glowing fire and soundscapes music playing the background. This drowns out the stress of the day. Taking these few minutes to myself makes me enjoy life more  fully.

If you’re looking to have more fun this year, try reading timeouts. They calm you and renew your mind. When my children were babies I preferred magazines to books because sometimes those stolen moments only lasted 2 or 3 minutes before baby was calling!

No matter the amount of time, the point is taking moments here and there fills your soul. Show yourself love by taking joyful timeouts. I think you’ll find the journey a little more fun and serene when you do.

Cheers to sprinkling joy throughout your day!


What do you love to do when you take a few moments for yourself?

I received this as an audiobook.  Although not my favorite format, I  downloaded it to my iPod as my “Hawaiian beach read” and started listening to it on the six-hour plane ride.  Wow ... this felt like one of my quickest and best plane rides ever. The aircraft was packed and I just closed my eyes and shut out the world and immersed in the story of Andy a 37-ish woman, navigating her way through the complexities of life, love, family and relationships.

Andy meets Ethan, falls in love and marries him.  All she has ever wanted was a baby and a family of her own. As it turns out, she cannot get pregnant. Ethan came to the marriage with two daughters and for him adoption is out of the question. Andy, heartbroken, must come to terms  with this. The older daughter Emily is nothing but trouble and Andy’s  relationship with her is terrible at best. Lots of bad stuff happens…

Flip to part two which is mostly about Emily.
The author gives you the perspective from both sides. Emily constantly struggles with self-esteem issues and her connection with both her real mother and father and her turbulent relationship with Andy.  Anyone who has gone through these dilemmas can probably relate.

This book is an easy read and I found the deeper I got in the more I liked it. There was a fair bit of whining from both the women but I guess I would probably do the same thing if my life were as complicated (not in a good way) as theirs.  A tad long for what it was I still enjoyed it over the whole. I would guess that any woman who has ever struggled with these issues would probably feel compassion for all the characters.

I enjoyed having the actual author Jane Green read this.  She read it with passion and during emotional scenes you know this is really how she meant it to sound.  It was worth a “listen”.

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Thank you, Traveling Pat for your review of Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green

Pre-order on Amazon: Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green

The world is made up of energy. Everything you see, everything you do, everything you say all has a vibrational energy. Even that table beside your bed is energy. Energy from a plant, a tree. Energy sprinkled on earth from   the stars up above.

All things around you near and far feel your vibration. What you say. What you think. It not only affects you, it affects others, even from a distance. What do you want others to feel when your energy hits them? What do you want to feel when it comes back to you?

Treat your energy with respect. It is powerful, as are your thoughts. The universe is reflecting back to you what you are putting out, what you believe. If there is something you don’t like, change it from within. It is ancient wisdom worth repeating over and over again.

Science is finally catching up to what spiritualty has known all along – all the world is energy. Choose to treat everything with kindness, respect, and love. You will surely see those vibes return to you.

Become conscious of what energy you allow into your day, from TV, to radio, and internet. Ask questions. Does it serve you? We are not here to be distracted, to get through the daily grind by covering our restlessness with distractions. We are here to learn and enjoy, from moment to moment! Take it one at a time.

When one ceases distracting themselves with the future and the past, the noise and constant doing, the gifts of the universe open up before your eyes. Stop and look at the beauty all around you. Beauty that was once a star now surrounds you. Feel the vibration of everything that comes across your path.

You are vibes. You have the power to make them positive and bright. The world is your oyster. Breathe deep. Enjoy this very moment.

Feel connected to everything through your energy.

We all go on a journey. The journey leads us back to where we already are. Where we are is where we need to be. Let us slow down, breathe in joy and peace like fresh air.

There is no hurry. That is our mind complicating things. Let go of that. Happiness is right here, right now. Close your eyes and feel the warmth of your smile. Your journey may feel long and deep, but the trail always leads you back home. Home is within. Happiness and peace are within. Ironically it takes letting go to find them. Letting go of stress, anxiety, worry. Simple let go.

You are a miracle right here and now in this space and time. This is always the case. Your joy is forever within you, but you have to let go, have faith and let the flow carry you to find your life spark.

Try not to focus as much on planning tomorrow. Enjoy today! Believe you will end up in the loving space you need to be. Your life is a big- YES!

The miracles are only ever found in today. Please don’t miss the miracles that are waiting for you to notice them. They are here and now!

Gazing deep into the future or past makes it harder to see life’s miracles today. One day at a time is all you need when you find home, joy, and your love within.

It is not complicated. It is love.
 

Weeks ago, I overheard that if you wake up tired it may be because you are not getting enough protein in your diet. I believe it was on The Dr. Oz Show, but don’t quote me on that.

The statement sunk in and I wondered if there could be a lack of protein in my diet. Or maybe the tiredness was directly related to having children. Parent = Tired. I’m pretty sure that is in the dictionary somewhere. Anyway, I choose to eat a Vegan diet so making sure I get an ample amount of protein is something I am conscious of.

A few days later, when I was reading the blog Notes on Adding Kindness
& Health to the Daily Grind (by stellar family members of ours!), in the article Thrive they were discussing how they felt noticeably better when they included plant-based protein shakes in their diet. The bells went off in my head again.

To top it off, 2 weeks ago I read an interview that my friend and collage buddy, Tina at Carrots-n-Cake did with Bob Harper, where she specifically asked Bob about protein.


Tina: How much protein do you think the average active person needs in their diet?  

Bob: Protein is crucial for muscle repair and building and it also keeps you satiated.  I recommend getting in AT LEAST half of your body weight in grams so if you weigh 150 lbs., get in 75 grams.

*Read the full interview here: Bob Harper on CrossFit, The Biggest Loser & His Last Meal on Earth


At this point I’m thinking- OK universe I get it! Thanks for the messages! That very day during his lunch break, my husband went to the health food store and picked up some vegan protein powder.

Protein shakes are now a part of my diet, especially in the morning when I start my day. I can honestly say that I too feel noticeably better. Less tired (not 100% though because remember parent=tired), but enough that I feel the protein powder is worth the investment. And it is an investment! You’ll see if you check out the prices.

My personal feeling is your health is worth the investment. You never know if taking care of your nutritional needs now could save you big bucks in health care in the long run. Basically, I feel the same way about taking certain vitamins. They don’t replace good eating habits, but as Dr. Andrew Weil says, I think of them as a little insurance policy.

If you are waking up tired no matter how many hours of sleep you get, you may want to try adding a protein shake to your day. It has helped me. Not to mention, it is also a great opportunity to mix in a healthy dose of fruits and vegetables.

To your good health!

There are times when I can feel myself getting out of control. Times when I say to myself you need to take a chill pill! The truth is I can’t always account for why I am feeling strung out. I love my life. I have everything I need. I have faith that my future will unfold as it should, and wonderful opportunities will arise as the past has shown me. So why do I get stressed out?

Questions fly through my mind. Did I sleep well? Did I eat enough protein? Am I stressed about something in particular? Am I pushing down feelings? I don’t always have the answer to why, but what I do know is the next step to take – kindness.

Kindness to myself. Kindness to my loved ones who experience my moods first hand with me. These are the times I aim to snap out of my funk by being kind. Showing extra kindness for no apparent reason is the best chill pill I know of, and a nice cup of steaming green tea doesn’t hurt either!

Friends, remember kindness when you need it the most!

Much Love

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